Rico
the kid that shot the police officer
Lil J
subject of the story
Kelly
Odd man in the building with a tv
Where was Lil J planning to go to get a job?
Home Depot
The drug that Lil J and Rico have been using
Heroin
What injury does Lil J have?
broken arm
What is special about Kelly's tv?
It can show the past, present, and possible future
What literary device is used in this novel through out the whole novel with Kelly and his TV?
Magic Realism
Why does Walter Dean Myers write so many books about kids in trouble?
He also had difficulty in school with fighting and people making fun of him.
Did Walter Dean Myers finish school in a traditional high school?
No, He dropped out
What question does Kelly keep asking Lil J?
If you could change one thing what would it be?
Why do the police think that Lil J is the shooter?
Rico was picked up and that is what he told police
Where in the building would Lil J like to go?
The roof
What martial Art does Lil J remember taking?
Kung Fu
What martial art did Mrs. Hale take?
Jiu Jitsu
What impact do you think Kelly will have on Lil J?
various ______________________________ (fill it in)
What does Lil J steal from his mother?
pain killers
juicehead
alcoholic
Lauren
Lil J's girlfriend
Why do you think that Kelly doesn't share anything about himself?
various but probably to keep the focus on Lil J's situation
What does Lil J accuse Kelly of being?
a cop
Who or what do you think Kelly is? (don't just give a one word answer)
angel, sorcerer, magical being, a psychic etc.
mumbled
said in a low, unclear way
Why and how do you think the tv can look at the past, present, and future? (again write a complete thought)
various
authority
Power that has been institutionalized and is recognized by the people over whom it is exercised.
dibbing (The dictionary doesn't have this word in this context. Use context clues from the book to determine meaning.)
?
How does Lil J get caught up and knows that the police are after him?
Ricco told the cops that Lil J was the shooter
banister
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling
How does Lauren feel about Lil J's drug use?
They fight about it.
She hates it.
junkies
drug addicts, people who use drugs
Maurice
The guy that went with Lil J to the Home Depot. He stayed and applied for a job while Lil J left.
In the rap Lil J says that there are two kinds of rules. What are they?
1. Rules for the man; 2.
rules for the fools
What literary device is used in this quote from the rap?"In the super ghetto of defeat"
metaphor
What literary device is used in this quote from the rap?"stinking like a piece of week-old meat"
simile
setting (Where does the book take place)
inside an abandoned building in the city
What does Lauren want Lil J to do in front of her that makes him uncomfortable?
use drugs
What is the significance of the title "Dope Sick?"
It can have multiple interpretations. In the book the literal translation is someone who taken so much dope that they are sick. Or the idea that Lil' J is sick of his life that has been damaged by dope.
What type of person does Lil' J expect to find in the abandoned building?
Someone homeless or a junkie half passed out.
"Kelly talked street, but I wasn't sure.
" What makes Lil J uncertain about Kelly's street cred despite his ability to talk street?
Lil J' instinct or intuition tells him that there is more to Kelly than just a street kid.
What does Lil' J tells Lauryn "Don't go white on me?" Do these instances show racial stereotyping? Justify your answer.
s
What issues at home might explain Lil' J's drug use?
mom is an alcoholic and abuses pain pills. It also seems that Lil' J is not in contact with or influenced by his father.
Why does Kelly keep asking Lil' J what he wants to change even when Lil' J has given an answer.
His answer is too "present." He is focused what is happening right now instead of looking at the decisions that lead to this point.
The end of the novel is ambiguous. Even though Lil' J sees Kelly killed by the swat team, He knows that he will see Kelly one day.
How is this possible? Who or what do you think Kelly is? Justify your answer.
various
